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SITTING BULL'S 
MESSAGE 



FROM SPIRIT LIFE 



lE>s feeing JcoD p«t gpcafect^. 



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BOSTON: 
1891. 



Copyright, i8gi, 
by Mrs. K..jR. STILES. 



B*^ 



NOTE. 



" And I heard a voice, saying : ' Write what the 
Spirit saith unto the people.'" We have written; 
and now send the message forth on its mission. 
In doing so we are well aware that its authentic- 
ity as a communication from Sitting Bull will 
doubtless be questioned by two classes of people. 

The first to question it will probably be those 
who declare that there is no possibility of com- 
munication between the so-called, " two worlds ; " 
and that, therefore, there is no such thing as mod- 
ern inspiration. 

Another class of critics will be found among 
those, who, while they concede the fact of spiritual 
inspiration, will say — "Sitting Bull was not a poet, 
and hence would not have put his message into 
rhyme." 

In reply to the first class of objectors to the 
claim of the Spirit, we shall simply state that we 
know that we are in daily communication with 
those who have " shufiied off the mortal coil," and 
that we often come under the inspiration of their 
loving thoughts. 

To those who may say that the Spirit could not 
have dictated a rythmical communication, we ans- 
wer : How know you that Sitting Bull was not a 
poet ? True, he may never have written or spoken 



his thought in rhyme; yet the Indian's prose ex- 
pressions are often full of the sublimest poetry. 

Sitting Bull was aided in the dictation of his 
message by a spirit poet, who was ever a cham- 
pion of human rights, and who, while in the physi- 
cal form, often wielded his pen in behalf of the 
oppressed Indian nation. 

We are told that there are two reasons why the 
message of the Spirit has been sent forth in this 
rythmical garb ; one of which is that the Spirit 
who assisted Sitting Bull felt that it might prove 
more attractive, and make a deeper impression 
upon the minds of those who peruse it. 

We are also told, that, our own nature being 
somewhat poetic, our brain more readily responds 
to rythmical measure, and hence the thoughts given 
by Sitting Bull could be more easily impressed 
when clothed in this manner. 

That some good may follow from the publica- 
tion of this communication, is the sincere hope of 
Sitting Bull's humble, yet willing scribe, 

Kate R. Stiles. 

'A 

43 Dwight Street, Boston. 



<Q 



SITTING BULL'S MESSAGE. 



Sitting Bull, the Chief, returneth. 

Though a Spirit, he still yearneth 

Over his beloved nation, 

Still he feeleth obligation 

Toward the Indian tribes and races ; 

Therefore he unto pale faces 

Cometh, with strong words of pleading. 

Through another interceding 

For his hapless, hopeless brothers. 

For the poor, dejected mothers 

Who sit daily moaning, crying, 

With their children round them dying. 

Though his message he conveyeth 

Through another, yet he prayeth 

That the people who peruse it 

Will not scoff at, or abuse it, 

Will not say there is no merit 

In the message of a Spirit 

Through another brain transmitted. 



6 SITTING BULLS MESSAGE. 

The Great Father hath permitted 

Those who pass beyond Death's portals 

To approach their fellow mortals 

And make known to them their feeling. 

Thus comes Sitting Bull appealing, 

Sending forth his supplication 

To the chief men of the nation, 

To the great men in high places, 

That the Indian tribes and races 

Be accorded fairer dealing, — 

This he asks with kindly feeling. 

He for justice only, pleadeth, 

That the bread his people needeth 

To sustain them from starvation 

Be supplied them by the nation. 

From their lands have they been driven, 

And with faces shrunken, shriven. 

Have they wandered forth, unsightly, — 

Wandered daily, wandered nightly. 

Vainly seeking for protection. 

Oh ! the sadness, the dejection 

Of a race thus doomed to wander. 

Sitting Bull long years did ponder 

O'er the direful situation. 

Oft he sat in contemplation, 

Through the long night watches, lonely. 



SITTING BULL S MESSAGE. 

In his heart was one thought only, — 
How to hft the Indian nation, 
From their woe and degradation. 
He for Ught was ever calHng; 
Yet the darkness, so appalling. 
Sent him back no answer'ng token. 
All unrifted, all unbroken. 
Did the heavy cloud hang o'er him. 
Walk beside him, move before him. 
Heavy was his heart with groaning. 
Sore became his breast from moaning. 
Sore and weary with his sighing. 
When he saw his people dying 
For the bread from them withholden. 
It did all his thought embolden. 
And within him woke the spirit 
That the red man doth inherit 
From his fathers gone before him. 
Yea, it seemed they did bend o'er him, 
And did whisper their monition — 
Urged him to demand rendition 
Of the lands and bread belonging 
To his people round him thronging. 
This he sought, through arbitration. 
To accomplish for his nation. 
But the Government, unheeding. 



5 SITTING BULL S MESSAGE. 

Listened not unto his pleading; 

Or, while listening, failed in action, 

And he gained no satisfaction. 

What remained then, O pale faces, 

For the Indian tribes and races, 

But to seek revenge in battle — 

In its dreadful din and rattle? 

Sitting Bull to white man sayeth, 

Wonder not the red man slayeth 

When he sees his people stricken. 

Sees his sons and daughters sicken. 

Sees them fainting, falling, dying, 

For the bread he is denying. 

Long the red man's blood had bounded 

With injustice, ere he sounded 

War's dread tocsin. Had white nation 

But fulfilled its obligation. 

Made for red man intervention. 

There had been no dark contention. 

With the white man lies the error 

Of the turmoil and the terror 

That hath siezed upon the nation. 

With him rests the obligation. 

Will the lesson sore be heeded ? 

And will justice be conceded 

To the Indian tribes and races 



SITTING BULL S MESSAGE. 

By their brothers, the pale faces ? 
Or will they by deeds unholy 
Still oppress the red man, lowly? 
Will he still be driven, driven, 
Naked, hungry, shrunken, shriven? 
Will the white man still pursue him. 
Taking what belongeth to him. 
Leaving him in destitution ? 
Then, O pale face, restitution 
Must you make for wrongs committed,- 
Justice ne'er can be outwitted. 
Man may plot and rob his brother. 
But in one sphere or another 
He the " utmost farthing " payeth. 
This the law of Justice sayeth. 
This the white man's Bible teacheth, 
From this text he often preacheth. 
Sitting Bull oft heard it quoted, — 
But its spirit had not noted. 
He but listened to the letter, — 
White man doeth no whit better. 
He, too, listens to the reading. 
But gives to it little heeding. 
Speaketh Sitting Bull too boldly? 
Yet not bitterly, or coldly, 
He the word of truth declareth. 



lO SITTING BULLS MESSAGE. 

Truth is ever bold ! it spareth 

None to whom it makes appealing ; 

But, while wounding, it gives healing, 

Giveth ever where it taketh, 

Bindeth wheresoe'er it breaketh. 

Though his written word sharp stingeth, 

Sitting Bull no malice bringeth 

From the Hunting-grounds of Spirit. 

The quick blood he did inherit 

Floweth now more calmly, slowly ; 

Therefore cometh he more lowly, 

In a spirit of contrition. 

Gone is all his proud ambition, 

Gone his bitterness and hatred,- — 

All his anger hath been sated. 

From the people long departed. 

They, the wise ones, the large-hearted. 

Hath he learned a kindlier feeling, 

Therefore cometh he appealing 

For the good of every nation. 

True, with stronger obligation 

Turns he to the Indian races. 

Yet he seeth that pale faces 

Are in bondage and oppression. 

Even they have not possession 

Of the rights belonging to them. 



SITTING BULL S MESSAGE. I 1 

Of the freedom that is clue them. 

What shall rend the cloud asunder, 

That the nations now sit under, — 

The dark cloud, that sore oppresseth ? 

Sitting Bull with pain confesseth 

That far distant seems the dawning 

Of that glad, redemption morning 

Pictured oft in ancient story, — 

Not yet seeth he its glory. 

Yet, while far the time appeareth, 

There is still one sign that cheereth ; 

He beholdeth every nation 

In a state of agitation. 

This a better time presages 

For mankind in coming ages. 

Sitting Bull sees by this token 

That the yoke shall yet be broken. 

That now resteth on his nation. 

And they gain full liberation. 

It is coming, O pale faces, — 

Freedom for the Indian races ! 

Though the white man's power seem stronger. 

Comes a day when he no longer 

Can misuse the Indian nation. 

Even now, with indignation 

Is his hot blood doubly heated. 



12 SITTING BULLS MESSAGE. 

And indignities repeated 

Will but make him more miruly ; 

Do not anger him unduly. 

He not easily is sated, 

Not soon is his wrath abated, 

Not soon doth he make retraction 

When he hath been roused to action. 

Sitting Bull sends forth his warning, - 

To be met, no doubt, with scorning; 

Such as oft to him was meted 

When for justice he entreated. 

Yet hath he no motive, other 

Than to save his pale faced brother, 

And the Indian tribes and races, 

From the conflict that disgraces. 

And alike unto each nation 

Bringeth woe and desolation. 

Sitting Bull the " oil of healing " 

Fain would pour on wounded feeling 

Of his stricken sons and daughters,— 

Fain would calm the troubled waters 

By which they are now surrounded. 

He, with love that is unbounded, 

Saith unto them. Education 

Is your only sure salvation 

From the evils that surround you, 



SITTING BULLS MESSAGE. 

From the ills that long have bound you. 

Oh, then, rouse ! put forth endeavor ! 

To injustice grant no favor ; 

But, all bitterness eschewing, 

Labor for the full undoing 

Of the ignorance of ages. 

Back of you are seers and sages, 

Back of you your long gone sires,— 

These shall help you light the fires 

Of a noble, true ambition, 

That in time shall yield fruition. 

With the fathers, gone before you. 

Are your mothers, they who bore you ; 

They, their past rude life ignoring. 

Now return to you, imploring 

That you rise from degradation 

And become a noble nation. 

Urge with kindness the pale faces 

To accord you better places. 

Better lands and reservations — 

Then fulfil your obligations. 

Plough and sow, and you shall gather — 

' Tis the law of the Great Father ; 

And while it remains unheeded 

Will the bread of life be needed. 

Gain that comes to him that worketh. 



14 SITTING BULLS MESSAGE. 

Cometh not to him that shirketh. 

Not to him that idly sigheth, 

But to him whose feet swift flieth 

Is the race at length accorded, 

And the golden prize awarded. 

Listen ! my beloved nation, 

To the earnest exhortation 

Sitting Bull brings from your sires. 

Dance no longer round your fires. 

Thinking thus to woo the sages. 

The Messiahs of past ages ! 

All your forms have no attraction 

For these souls of earnest action. 

But in every true endeavor 

Will they aid and guide you, ever. 

And, O pale face, more enlightened, 

Be not anxious, be not frightened. 

When you see the red man dancing, 

' Round his camp fires wildly prancing ; 

' Tis his mode of invocation. 

White man maketh supplication 

When and wheresoe'er he chooseth. 

Yet the privilege refuseth 

To his poor, untutored brother, 

Who at present knows no other 

Way to ease his burdened feeling. 



SITTING BULLS MESSAGE. 1 5 

Than by this rude, wild appeaUng. 
Would you lift him to your station, 
Pale face, give him education : 
Not the kind that comes from preaching, 
Or from praying — but the teaching 
That results from observation. 
Give him this, O pale faced nation. 
By allowing him to enter 
Every business mart and centre 
That is open to pale faces. 
Why not he, like other races. 
Be accorded free admission, 
Come and go without permission ? 
The Great Father who created 
Red and white man hath not stated 
That the red man's claim be bounded. 
Nay! in liberty was founded 
Life for every tribe and nation : 
Bondage bringeth degradation. 
Therefore Sitting Bull now prayeth 
That whene'er the red man strayeth 
From his lands and reservations 
Unto those of other nations. 
He be kindly met and treated — 
Kindness would in turn be meted — 
For the red man hath deep feeling. 



lb SITTING BULLS MESSAGE. 

And love maketh strong appealing 

To his nature deeply hidden. 

Should he sometimes come unbidden, 

Or with rudeness seek to enter 

The dominions where you centre 

As a great and mighty nation, 

Do not flee in consternation ; 

Let him view your ways and measures. 

Look upon your arts and treasures ; 

It would quicken his ambition. 

Help to change his sad condition, — 

This the teaching red' man needeth. 

Seldom is it that he readeth 

Of what goeth on around him. 

White man's laws so close have bound him, 

That he knoweth not nor heedeth 

How the world about him speedeth. 

Sitting Bull the white man heareth, 

Making answer, that he feareth 

The red man would sore abuse him, 

Were he from his bonds to loose him. 

Nay ! were red man's wrongs adjusted, 

He could be as safely trusted 

As can any other nation. 

Red man feels deep obligation. 

For a kindness to him meted. 



SITTING BULLS MESSAGE. 1 7 

Rarely, save when illy treated 

Doth the Indian rob and plunder, 

And break white man's laws asunder. 

Give him liberty, pale faces, 

As accorded other races. 

And he would become a nation 

Purged from crime and degradation ! 

Sitting Bull his plea hath ended. 
Though not all by him intended 
Hath he through his scribe transmitted. 
Should his message, thus submitted 
To the people, be rejected. 
Be despised and be neglected. 
He hath filled his obligation. 
Henceforth he his loving station 
Holdeth near his people, stricken. 
He will watch by those who sicken, 
He will whisper to the dying 
Of a land where is no sighing. 
Of a land where plenty reigneth. 
Where no cold nor hunger paineth. 
Where the white man and red brother 
Dwell in peace with one another. 
Thus will he impress and guide them, 
Though they know not that beside them 



1 8 SITTING BULLS MESSAGE. 

Sitting Bull, their chief, still walketh, 

And that with them still he talketh. 

Though his outward form be hidden, 

He -will come and go unbidden, 

Working_for the elevation 

Of his poor, down-trodden nation. 

This is Sitting Bull's desire, 

' Tis his Heaven ! he seeks none hig-her. 




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